A police officer has kept his job despite getting so drunk while on duty that he fell off his desk and had to be put to bed by an inmate he was supposed to be supervising.

PC Danny Dance, a custody officer at Millgarth police station in Leeds, fell unconscious after drinking a bottle of whisky during a night shift.

PC Dance was not punished for the incident which came to light during an investigation into the treatment of prolific burglar Karl Chapman.

PC Danny Dance who was so drunk that he was put to bed in one of the Leeds police cells by the so-called supergrass Karl Chapman who he was minding

Chapman was a police informant who had been given alcohol, allowed to use cannabis and heroin, go to pubs and visit a brothel as part of a series of inducements.

During an interview, PC Dance said: 'I got drunk. I was sat on the custody desk and I fell off.

'That is the last I recall of the night. When I woke up I was in the holing cell and it was the next day... I recall Chapman later saying words to the effect: "Fancy being put to bed by the prisoner".'

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Police conduct towards Champan came under scrutiny after the publication of a report in 2011. Two men had their convictions quashed for the murder of an 85-year-old man in 1996.

Chapman was being held in police custody while he gave evidence at a crown court trial against his criminal accomplice Gary Ford, with whom he had carried out a series of 'bogus official' robberies.

PC Andrew Leonard found the custody suite in a terrible state the following morning.

He said: 'The custody area was a mess, it smelled of alcohol.

'There were empty cans and bottles all over the place including whisky. I was conscious of the visit by the review officer around 9am daily. I started to clear up the empties into a holdall which I carried with me and disposed of them outside.

Joe Smales (left) who was beaten and later died after being attacked and robbed at his home in Wakefield 1996

The incident involving PC Danny Dance happened at Millgarth police station in Leeds, West Yorkshire, in 1996

'I sprayed around with an air freshener and opened the window to let fresh air in. I remember checking to see where Chapman was and that he was in a suitable position for the impending visit.

'I do recall he was drunk and in a cell. 'I cannot recall who it was on the floor but I dragged him without him waking into the interview room and then locked him inside.

'I do recall that Karl Chapman when he woke up was laughing and joking about what had happened the previous night had been a "heavy night".'

The scale of the drinking Chapman enjoyed when he was at Millgarth was emphasised in a letter from a girlfriend - who was in prison too.

'The custody area was a mess, it smelled of alcohol. There were empty cans and bottles all over the place including whisky.'

PC Andrew Leonard

She said she looked forward to him returning to prison custody, adding: '...at least back at [prison] you won't be steaming drunk all the time.'

It has now become clear that two men have launched claims for damages after spending a total of 20 years behind bars - on the basis of tainted evidence procured by officers who concealed the improper inducements to Chapman.

Danny Mansell, whose conviction for the murder of pensioner Joe Smales was overturned, and Gary Ford, who had the majority of his convictions for robbery and burglary quashed, have both formally served civil claims on the force.

And it can also be revealed that Mr Mansell's solicitor is to formally challenge the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over its decision not to prosecute any police officers despite a Supreme Court judgment which stated officers had committed crimes.

Matthew Gold said he was prepared to take the CPS to court if no adequate explanation was provided.

The solicitors for both men were reluctant to comment on the potential level of damages but it is understood to be at least £250,000 for Mr Ford and potentially more for Mr Mansell.

Mr Gold said he would be writing to the CPS to press for prosecutions against officers to be brought. He said: 'Upon receiving a decision from the CPS, if it' s negative with inadequate reasons it's likely that decision will be challenged by judicial review.'

He confirmed a formal claim for damages had been lodged with West Yorkshire Police. The force is due to serve its defence this month.

Mr Mansell spent 12 years in prison, including on remand, before his conviction for the murder of Mr Smales was quashed in 2009. He was originally convicted with his brother Paul Maxwell, whose conviction was also quashed before he pleaded guilty at a retrial.

The Supreme Court ruling on whether Maxwell should face a retrial, published in July 2011, delivered devastating criticism of West Yorkshire Police and said the actions of officers amounted to perverting the course of justice, perjury and misconduct in public office.

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Drunk PC Danny Dance put to bed in a cell by prisoner he was meant to be supervising